Poker flash cards

ABSTRACT

Poker instructional flash cards arranged on a deck of fifty-two playing cards of standard casino size and shape that particularly correspond with the play of various kinds of poker games facilitating a player&#39;s ability to memorize and understand the correct response or playing action to common poker scenarios, as well as the odds of making specific hand combinations in poker play. Poker instructional flash cards arranged on a deck of fifty-two playing cards utilized as a learning tool in simulated or actual game play will reinforce standard flash card lessons with time in game experiences.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to flash cards arranged on a playing carddeck and more particularly to flash cards arranged on a playing carddeck which teach a player the correct playing actions in response tocommon poker situations.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Poker is a very popular card game that has been enjoyed by the publicfor years. Poker is a very popular game and is well known in the art. Wewill outline the rules in the interest of clarity. The game is playedwith a standard deck of 52 playing cards composed of the twoconventional black suits of spades and clubs and the two conventionalred suits of hearts and diamonds. Each suit contains thirteen cards, oneeach of numerically indicated cards of two, three, four, five, six,seven, eight, nine, ten, and one each of the face cards Jack, Queen,King and each suit contains an Ace. Many poker games have evolved fromtraditional five-card poker, all of which use the same basic priority orrank order of winning poker hands.

In poker, each player is dealt cards or in some poker incarnations theyshare community cards, from which the winning hand is assembled. Theobject of the game of poker is to obtain the best five-card hand amongall participants. The individual cards are ranked in the following orderfrom highest to lowest: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, ten, nine, eight, seven,six, five, four, three, two. The winning poker hands common to all pokergames are ranked in the following order from highest to lowest:

-   (1) Royal Flush—Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, all of the same suit.-   (2) Straight Flush—Five sequential cards all of the same suit.-   (3) Four-of-a-Kind—Four cards all of equal rank.-   (4) Full House—Three cards of equal rank and two cards of equal    rank.-   (5) Flush—Any five cards of the same suit-   (6) Straight—Five sequential cards of mixed suits.-   (7) Three-of-a-Kind—Three cards of equal rank.-   (8) Two Pair—Two cards of equal rank and a different two cards of    equal rank.-   (9) One Pair—Two cards of equal rank.-   (10) High Card—The card that has the highest rank.

The best hand among the players is declared and that player is thewinner. If two or more players have the same best hand, the players areeach declared the winner, however if one of the hands has higherindividual card rankings then that player is declared the winner.

In recent years, the popularity of the particular poker game Texas Hold'Em or sometimes Hold 'Em has soared. In Texas Hold 'Em, all of thestandard aforementioned poker rules apply and the specific rules are asfollows: Up to ten players can participate in a game of Texas Hold 'Em.Each player is dealt two cards face down. There is a subsequent round ofbetting strictly based on the two cards in each player's hand thus far.The dealer then deals three cards face up, known as the Flop, in thecenter of the table—these are community cards that are shared by all ofthe players. After the Flop, there is another round of betting. Thedealer then deals a fourth community cared face up, known as the Turn.There is another round of betting. Then the dealer turns a final, fifthcommunity card face up, known as the River. All five of the communitycards are now organized together and are available for any players use.There is a final round of betting, followed by a showdown where eachplayer makes his best five-card poker hand, using any combination of histwo face down cards and the five community cards. The final five cardsare determined by which combination yields the best possible hand.

There is mandatory predetermined betting included in Texas Hold 'Em. Oneach hand, the person to the left of the dealer, called the Button, isthe first to act. Before the deal, this person must post a bet known asthe Little Blind and the person to his left must post a larger bet knownas the Big Blind. The player to the left of the Big Blind must call (ormatch) the bet, raise the bet or fold the hand. There are no Blind betson subsequent betting rounds. After each hand, the Button moves onespace to the left, and the obligation for the respective Blind bets doesas well.

A common instructional tool for teaching and practicing educationalmaterial and games are flash cards. Flash cards are usually hand-heldrectangular cards containing questions or situations printed on one sideof the card with the answers to the questions, or the actions to betaken in the situations, printed on the other side. The cards aregathered in a stack, with all the questions printed face up. The usermust read the question and attempt to figure out the answer beforeturning the card over to see if they got the correct answer. The usermust repeat this process over and over again with each card until hebegins to memorize the answers. The cards can then be rearranged inrandom order in order to facilitate memorization.

Flash cards are commonly used in elementary schools for the teaching ofarithmetic. For example, “2+2=?” is printed on the front and on the backis printed the answer “4”.

It became apparent to us that flash cards present a useful way to learnthe game of poker, specifically common poker scenarios, as well as theodds of making specific hand combinations in common scenarios. Fifty-twoflash cards can facilitate the memorization and learning of properplaying responses to common odds and scenarios because they canencompass all of these necessary to be in a better position to win, andit is advantageous to be able to practice them in random order. None ofthe prior art is particularly suited to facilitate learning poker thisway.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,246,152 to Perrine (1917) discloses a pack of flashcards upon which are printed arithmetical problems, and presents achildren's game for learning arithmetic. The problems are printed atopposing ends of the cards, so that the problem is visible right side upat the top end of the card, no matter which end is held uppermostHowever, the answer is revealed on the back of the card when the userflips the card over. This implementation forces the invention to be ontwo sides of each card and therefore both sides must be in use. It alsolimits shuffling the cards since all of the answer side cards must befacing the same way in order to use the cards effectively. Thisinvention is directed primarily towards the minimization of the numberof cards necessary to provide a complete exposition of all possiblecombinations in an area of arithmetical study, such as multiplication.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,399 to Gordy et al. (1973) discloses a pack of flashcards for teaching the game of bridge. It presents each hand of bridgeon a set of four cards, one for each player in the game. The cards havea different hand at the opposing end of each card, thus presenting twohands in each set of four cards. The cards are specifically designedonly for instruction in how to bid in the game of bridge. They have thedeficiency that one cannot easily shuffle them, except as four separatedecks. Moreover, they use numbers and letters to represent card facesand do not depict the card faces as they actually appear.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,651 to Robert Mankoff and Marcy Mankoff (1977)discloses a deck of playing cards similar to a standard deck with thefour suit designations but including a vocabulary word on each card,rather than a card value. The vocabulary word has three possibledefinitions, one of which is correct. Each definition is given a cardvalue and only by knowing the correct answer will the user learn theappropriate value of the card. Only after accurately identifying thecorrect definition is the deck adaptable to any standard card game, thusthe cards would be inaccurate for a card game if a user did not realizehe chose the wrong definition. Additionally, although the cards have thepotential to act as an actual deck of traditional playing cards, itbecomes exceedingly difficult to keep track of what values a user isholding. While playing a hand in a card game, it would be necessary toview the definitions of the cards to know each card's value, thereforethe cards must be held far apart in the user's hand, making it extremelydifficult in practice to play an actual card game using these cards.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,549 to Cywar (1977) discloses a blackjack card deck.Each card has a number and suit printed in the corner to simulate one ofthe player's cards. The card has a chart summarizing the action a playershould take depending on what other cards are present. The chart has theplayer's cards and the dealer's cards along its two axes. Though thesymbols in the corners of each card simulate the printing on a playingcard, they do not substantially depict any actual playing cardsituation. The information presented on the card in chart form is quitecomplex and difficult to interpret Complexity deters the user fromlearning and practicing quickly. Complexity causes disinterest and willthwart the desire to learn.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,326 to Leep, et al. (1992) discloses a pack of flashcards for teaching and practicing blackjack. The face of each cardcontains two playing situations on opposite ends of the card arranged sothat each appears either right side up or upside down regardless ofwhich end is up. Each half also contains within a frame a smallerperspective image of a card and a still smaller oblong box containing anidentifier for a method of grouping subsets of the total deck. The backof each card also presents two separate sections which provide arecommended action for the situation represented on the same half of thecard's face. These cards are only valuable for one set of casino orhouse rules and they do not account for the varying rules that existworldwide, namely number of decks being used and rules governing boththe dealer's and the players' options. Also, the instructions on thecards are two-sided and therefore both sides of the cards must be in useand since the cards are two-sided, they cannot be assembled into a deckand dealt out randomly face down because the player will be able to viewthe recommended action. This prevents the player from simulating actualplay while practicing.

Albert H. Morehead “The Complete Guide to Winning Poker” (1967) listedthe odds against improving various combinations in poker andspecifically in this example Seven-Card Stud on pages 226,227. Theseodds are given in an uninteresting list with straight numbers and not ina situational manner that facilitates learning quickly.

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention areas follows:

-   (a) to provide flash cards arranged on a traditional deck of playing    cards with questions and answers representing common poker    scenarios, as well as the odds of making specific hand combinations,    which will facilitate and expedite the comprehension of poker;-   (b) to provide flash cards arranged on a traditional deck of playing    cards, which can be used in an actual or simulated game of poker,    where the user can apply the poker lessons with the exact situation    as it arises in order to promote learning;-   (c) to provide flash cards arranged on a traditional deck of playing    cards which identify to the user the appropriate playing action;-   (d) to provide a set of cards having 52 common poker situations that    are necessary to be understood in order to be in a better position    to win.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following drawings and descriptions.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the objective of the present invention to provide pokerinstructional flash cards arranged on a standard deck of fifty-twoplaying cards that particularly correspond with the play of variouskinds of Poker games facilitating a player's ability to memorize andunderstand the correct response or playing action to common pokerscenarios, as well as the odds of making specific hand combinations inpoker play, enabling the player to make the appropriate correspondingdecisions.

The objective of the present invention is attained by a deck of standardfifty-two playing cards of the present invention, which can be utilizedas flash cards in order to memorize and understand the correct responseto common poker scenarios, as well as the odds of making specific handcombinations that occur in poker play.

An understanding of the odds is crucial to improving an individual'soverall Poker play. The odds determine whether a player should call, betor fold the hand they are playing. When a player is considering any playin Poker, knowing the odds is the key to winning and making money. Forexample, if there is $50 in the pot, and it will cost the player $10 tocall a bet, then the player is receiving 5 to 1 odds and the pot ispotentially paying the player $5 for every $1 he bets. If the odds ofthe player making his hand are better than 5 to 1, then the player is ina favorable situation of making his hand and should not fold but remainin the hand.

The present invention provides instructional flash cards on a standardplaying card deck of fifty-two playing cards. The backs of the cards allcontain an ornamental design and are indistinguishable from one anothersuch that the value of any given card cannot be ascertained by viewingthe back of the card. The front of each card contains a representationof the fifty-two standard cards found in a traditional deck of playingcards. In addition to these standard card face pips and suit indicators,each playing card contains questions printed on the top, which representcommon poker scenarios, as well as the odds of making specific handcombinations in common scenarios. The correct responses or playingactions to the common poker scenarios or the answers to these odds ofmaking certain hand combinations questions at the top of the card faceare printed upside down on the bottom of the card face. The version ofthe present invention represented in our drawings specificallycorrespond with the poker game Texas Hold 'Em.

In order to play poker and be in a position to win, a player must knowcommon poker scenarios, as well as the odds of making specific handcombinations in common scenarios. Each of the fifty-two cards ask andanswer a different question representing an instructional lesson andwhen they are memorized and internalized by the user, he will become apoker player in a much better position to win.

The cards in the present invention can be memorized in classic flashcard fashion where the user must read the question and attempt to figureout the answer before turning the card around to see if they got thecorrect answer. The user must repeat this process over and over againwith each card until he begins to memorize the answers. As the userfamiliarizes himself with the questions and answers he can begin usingthe cards in an actual or simulated game of Poker. As the user plays thegame with the present invention, he will encounter the situations duringthe course of play that are covered by the questions and answers printedon the cards. As the player applies the poker lessons as instructed onthe cards in a real game situation, the cards will act to reinforce theplayer's knowledge and enable him to internalize the odds, strategiesand correct responses or playing actions to common scenarios furtheringthe learning process for the player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the presentinvention will become apparent upon consideration of the followingdescription taken into consideration with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the card faces of the eight and the four of heartsvalue cards of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show example layouts of the card back variant indicatingwhere a logo or other identifying advertisement material may be placed.

FIGS. 5,6,7 and 8 show the complete indicia content, in table format foreach card in the present 52-card deck invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention embodied in FIGS. 1 through 8 is presented on adeck of fifty two playing cards all of size, shape and weight of atypical card used in casino gaming play.

Referring to the drawing on FIG. 1, the face of each card 13 has valueindicators 11,19 and traditional card suit indicators 12,17 disposednear the top corner 10 and in the opposite bottom corner 18 in invertedorientation. The suit of the card is displayed with standard pips on thecenter card face 15 in larger fashion. Printed on the top of each cardface 13 in the FIG. 1 embodiment of the present invention is a question14 relating to the mathematical odds of making a specific hand in thegame of poker. In the opposite bottom corner on the card face 13 of theFIG. 1 embodiment is printed the answer 16 in inverted fashion to thequestion 14 asked above.

Referring to the drawing on FIG. 2, the face of each card 13 has valueindicators 11,19 and card suit 12,17 disposed near the top corner 10 andin the opposite bottom corner 18 in inverted orientation. The suit ofthe card is again displayed on the center card face 15 in largerstandard pip fashion. Printed on the top of each card face 13 in theFIG. 1 embodiment of the present invention is a question 14 relating tochoices presented by a specific scenario in the game of poker. In theopposite bottom corner on the card face 13 of the FIG. 1 embodiment isprinted the answer 16 in inverted fashion to the question 14 askedabove.

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent the card backs of all 52 cards in the presentinvention's deck. Card back 20 is embossed with company-designed logosin mirrored fashion 21,25 as to be indiscernible from any other of the52 cards in the deck. Spaces 22, 24 have been left on either side of thegraphic arts divider 23 for labeling of poker game type.

FIGS. 5 through 8 represent the printed information on each card face 13of the 52 cards which make up the presented version of the invention.Each table present in FIGS. 5 through 8, displays the question 14 andanswer 16 in column format for every suit 12 and numerical value 11 forevery card in the presented version of this invention's 52-card deck.The suits are displayed as standard pips: hearts, diamonds, spades andclubs and are arranged in a column descending in rank Ace, King, Queen,Jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three and two. The firstcolumn of FIGS. 5 through 8, represents the card rank and suit and tothe right of each card rank in the first column is that card'scorresponding question 14 which are listed in the second column andasked at the top of that specific cards face 13. The Third Columnprovides the answer 16 to the question asked and is printed on thebottom of each card face 13 in inverse fashion.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Although the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain illustrative embodiments, those skilled in the art undoubtedlywill find alternative embodiments obvious after reading this disclosure.With this in mind, the following claims are intended to define the scopeof protection to be afforded the inventor, and those claims shall bedeemed to include equivalent construction insofar as they do not departfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A playing card deck of fifty-two flash cards particularly suited forplaying, learning and improving in the game of poker, consisting of:fifty-two cards of identical external dimensions, said cards having aface and a back; said backs of said cards all contain an ornamentaldesign and are indistinguishable from one another such that the value orsuit of any given card cannot be ascertained by viewing the back of thecard; said faces of said cards having indicia indicating the twoconventional black suits of spades and clubs and the two conventionalred suits of hearts and diamonds; said faces of said cards each havingindication of value by thirteen serially ranked alphanumeric indiciaincluding two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Jack,Queen, King and Ace; said faces of said cards having printed thereon, atthe top of the card face, indicia representing instructional questionsrelated to poker playing scenarios and strategies, as well as the oddsof making certain hand combinations; and said faces of said cards havingprinted thereon, at the bottom of the card face in inverted fashion,indicia representing the answers to the aforementioned questions andrecommended playing actions.
 2. A playing card deck of fifty-two flashcards particularly suited for playing, learning and improving in thegame of poker as recited in claim 1, wherein: each of the fifty-twocards ask and answer a different question representing an instructionallesson
 3. A playing card deck of fifty-two flash cards particularlysuited for playing, learning and improving in the game of poker asrecited in claim 1, wherein: the cards in the present invention can bememorized in classic flash card fashion, where the user must read thequestion and attempt to figure out the answer before turning the cardaround to see if they got the correct answer and the user must repeatthis process over and over again with each card until he begins tomemorize the answers.
 4. A playing card deck of fifty-two flash cardsparticularly suited for playing, learning and improving in the game ofPoker as recited in claim 1, wherein: fifty-two flash cards facilitate aplayer's ability to understand common game scenarios that occur in pokerplay and enables the player to make the appropriate correspondingdecisions.
 5. A playing card deck of fifty-two flash cards particularlysuited for playing, learning and improving in the game of Poker asrecited in claim 1, wherein: fifty-two flash cards facilitate thememorization and learning of proper playing responses to common odds,situations putting the player in a better position to win
 6. A playingcard deck of fifty-two flash cards particularly suited for playing,leaning and improving in the game of Poker as recited in claim 1,wherein: a user playing an actual or simulated game of poker applies theinstructional questions or lessons as indicated on the cardssimultaneously with the exact situation as it arises, the cards will actto reinforce the player's knowledge and enable him to internalize theodds, strategies and correct playing actions or responses to commonscenarios furthering the learning process for the player.